TODAY IS WORLD FOOD DAY!
The Prato Cheio Association highlights the text published by FAO about this important day.
Family farming highlighted on World Food Day
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations annually celebrates World Food Day on October 16, the date on which the Organization was founded.
World Food Day aims to promote awareness of the problem of hunger in the world, as well as encourage cooperation between countries and the participation of the rural population in decision-making. In the context of the International Year of Family Farming 2014, the theme of World Food Day this year is Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the land”. The objective is to highlight family farming and small farmers and their significant contribution to eradicating hunger, ensuring food security and protecting the environment.
So why is family farming important?
-Family and small-scale agriculture are closely linked to global food security.
-Family farming preserves traditional foods, in addition to contributing to a balanced diet, the protection of agrobiodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.
-Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies, especially when combined with specific policies aimed at promoting social protection and the well-being of communities.
Several events and initiatives will take place at FAO headquarters and around the world during World Food Week, to highlight the contribution of family farming to ensuring global food and nutritional security.
This year, World Food Week coincides with the Committee on Food Security (CSA 41), which takes place at FAO headquarters, from 13 to 18 October. Some of the events scheduled for this busy week are the announcement of the winner of the World Food Day poster competition on October 16; the opening of the National Geographic exhibition “The Future of Food”, in the FAO internal courtyard, on October 13th; and the Race against Hunger, on October 19th.
There will also be several meetings and seminars around the world, including the joint World Food Day and Committee on Food Security event “Innovation in family farming: to ensure food and nutritional security”, which will be held in Rome on the 16th October, in addition to several CSA side events linked to family farming, which will also take place in Rome.
For more information about some of the upcoming events and initiatives around the world, see the AIAF Calendar of Events.
For more information about World Food Day resources, history and helpful links, visit the World Food Day website.
Happy World Food Day! (source: http://www.fao.org/family-farming-2014/news/news/details-press-room/pt/c/254637/ )